


Actually Sleeping Together - A Cullrian Fanfic

by mnemosius



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: M/M, Nightmares, Sleeping Together, Trauma, actually sleeping not sex, concerned dorian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-07
Updated: 2015-03-07
Packaged: 2018-03-16 17:48:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3497306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mnemosius/pseuds/mnemosius
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An anon wanted me to write about Dorian witnessing Cullen having a nightmare. This is the result.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Actually Sleeping Together - A Cullrian Fanfic

It had taken a while for the two of them to reach this closeness, which made sense. 

For Dorian, it took time to become accustomed to a relationship with another man that wasn’t just about sex. True affection, public or otherwise, wasn’t something he had any real experience with. But the Commander was nothing if not persistent, and eventually Dorian was ready for more. What was surprising was Cullen’s hesitancy to move their relationship to the next logical step once Dorian was ready for it.

As Dorian had suspected, Cullen was more than willing to slip away with him for a moment of pleasure when there was time. The Commander may have seemed like an innocent, with his blushing and fumbling speech, but the moment they were in private he took exactly what he wanted. Dorian’s back was slightly bruised from being shoved up against many of the walls of Skyhold, and he absolutely loved it.

The two of them kissed as well. Early on, when they weren’t sure how long either of them would be around, when the Inquisition still felt like a house of cards doomed to collapse at any moment, their kisses were fierce. Each took as much as they could from the other, tongues mirroring the war that raged on with Corypheus. They would pull apart, breathing harshly, only to crash together again. Those kisses would sometimes taste of blood, and they would hold each other tightly after, reassuring themselves that they were both still alive.

But when they started feeling less like the dragon would swoop down on them at any moment, like the Breach wasn’t going to swallow them all in green fire, the kisses became softer. They didn’t need to rush anymore, and so they took things slow. They had their chess matches (which Cullen always won), they spent time reading together in the library (Cullen was fond of the romances, which Dorian took no small amount of delight in teasing him about), and when Cullen went to drill the new soldiers, Dorian came with him. They weren’t quiet about their affections for each other. The Inquisition knew, and it, for the most part, accepted it.

So that Cullen was hesitant about sleeping - actually sleeping, not sex - with Dorian was… unexpected. Cullen had reassured the mage that it wasn’t anything to do with him, and Dorian accepted that. He could wait.

He did, however, ask Cassandra if Cullen’s refusal to take lyrium would have any effect on his sleeping habits.

“I don’t think so,” Cassandra answered, frowning. “The occasional flash of pain might wake him up from time to time, but nothing drastic.”

“I see,” Dorian said. “Thank you, Seeker.” He turned to walk away.

“Dorian,” Cassandra said, her voice strange. “Has Cullen… has Cullen ever told you about his experiences at the Kinloch Circle?”

Dorian paled. “The one that was overrun by demons and abominations during the Blight?” Maker. “Cullen was there?”

Cassandra frowned. “My apologies, Dorian. I thought you already knew. It is not my story to tell.”

“I understand,” Dorian said, still processing. “If you’ll excuse me.”

“Of course.”

 

Dorian didn’t confront Cullen about it. He understood all too well that some things took time to open up about. He still hadn’t told Cullen about his father’s plans for him, after all.  
But a few weeks later, when Dorian rose from the bed to dress himself and leave, Cullen asked him to stay.

Dorian turned to looked at him curiously. “You mean, stay the night?”

Cullen smiled at him, his hair a delectable mess from when Dorian had pulled at it just minutes ago. “Yes. If you’re willing, of course.”

Dorian couldn’t help but match his smile. “Then I shall stay.”

Cullen’s smile faded quickly, however, and his expression became hesitant. “There is something you should know, however.”

Dorian sat back down next to him, leaning into his body. “I’m listening.”

He could feel the sudden tension in Cullen’s muscles as he forced the words out.  
“As you may know…” Cullen paused to take in a shaky breath, “I… Do you know what happened at the Circle of Kinloch, during the Fifth Blight?”

Dorian entwined his hand with Cullen’s own. “I do,” he said quietly.

“I was there, when things got bad,” Cullen said, squeezing Dorian’s hand. “The demons, what they did to me… I still have trouble sleeping sometimes.”

Dorian didn’t say anything to that. He just gently removed his hand from Cullen’s grasp, and wrapped his arms around him. He could feel the slight tremors running through Cullen’s body, and the two stayed like that until they passed.  
Once they did, Cullen offered a shaky smile to Dorian, and the mage leaned in to give him a gentle kiss.

 

“No, no, you’re not real, you’re not real, get away, GET AWAY.”

Dorian’s eyes flew open as Cullen’s arm slammed into his midsection, forcing the air out of his lungs. He rolled to the side on reflex only, and ended up falling out of the bed entirely, stumbling to his feet a moment later.  
Cullen was curled up in a little ball atop the sheets now, violent shivers wracking his body. The noises coming out of his mouth weren’t words anymore - the man was whimpering. Dorian stood next to the bed, not sure what he could do. Cullen had told him not to wake him up if he had an episode, so Dorian’s hands were effectively tied.

It took a few minutes for the episode to pass, and Dorian couldn’t help but sigh in relief when he saw the tension drain out of Cullen’s body. He waited another few minutes, and then crawled back into bed, curling up next to him.  
“You’re safe now, Amatus,” Dorian said softly. “It’s alright.”

Tomorrow he would see Solas, to see if he had any means of helping others with dreams. He would not let Cullen continue to suffer like this. It wasn’t right.

Cullen made a soft noise, and then curled in closer. Dorian wrapped his arms around him again, and together they stayed like that, for the rest of the night.

**Author's Note:**

> mnemosius.tumblr.com, if you've any questions or comments.


End file.
